CONWAY - Rich Witten had an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to give Coastal Carolina a 3-2 win over Albany in the first game of a doubleheader Friday evening at Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field. The win put Coastal at 14-6 and marked the Chants' seventh straight victory.

The Great Danes took an early 1-0 lead in the first. With two out and two on, D.J. Hoagboon reached on an error, allowing Joey Tracy, who had walked, to score. Coastal threatened in the home half, getting the first two runners on thanks to walks, but the two were left stranded.

Albany extended its lead in the second. After a one-out single by Gordon Madej, Nolan Gaige came through with a two-out, RBI triple.

Coastal cut its deficit in half in the third. Jacob May had a one-out single and Justin Creel walked for the second time in as many at bats. After a double steal, Alex Buccilli brought home May with a sacrifice fly to right-center field.

The Chants tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth. Sloan Gilliam had a leadoff single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Creel hit an RBI single to right-center.

Coastal grabbed the lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the eighth. Buccilli had a leadoff single and was lifted for pinch runner Luke Willis. After a steal, Willis took third on a sacrifice bunt by Daniel Bowman. With a drawn-in infield, Rich Witten slapped an RBI single up the middle. Tucker Frawley followed with an infield single. With those two hits, Witten and Frawley have each reached base safely (hit/walk/hit by pitch) in 17 consecutive games.

Both starting pitchers suffered tough-luck decisions. For Coastal, Josh Conway did not get a decision, leaving the game after six innings. He allowed two runs (one earned), a season-high seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. UAlbany starter Zach Kraham (0-4) threw a complete game , but suffered the loss. He scattered eight hits, allowed three runs and walked four.

Austin Wallace (0-1) earned his first win as a Chanticleer, pitching two scoreless and hitless innings. He walked one and struck out one. Aaron Burke worked the ninth to earn his third save, walking one and striking out one. Although he walked the one batter, he only faced three batters as Gaige, who walked, was caught stealing second for the final out of the game.